The cold winter had made its way down from the north to the woods where a mother fox lived with her young cub.
One morning the little fox was about to go outside to play, when suddenly he cried out, and rolled back down in front of his mother with his paws pressed over his eyes.
"Ma, something's stuck in my eye. Quick, quick, take it out," he pleaded.
Suddenly in a fluster, his mother rushed to pull back her son's paws from in front of his eyes, fearful of what she might see - but there was nothing there. When she took a look outside their hole, she soon realized what had happened. There had been a huge snowfall during the night and the glare of the sun on the fresh white snow was blinding. Having never seen snow before, the little fox was surprised by the bright glare and mistakenly thought something had hit him in the eye.
He soon went out to play. As he ran through the snow that was as soft as a ball of silk, he sent snow powder flying like a spray, tiny rainbows appearing instantly around him.
Then, suddenly from behind came a great noise,
DO-TA DO-TA Zaaaa!!
and the little fox was covered in powdery snow. Startled, he jumped sideways and rolled for about ten meters or so. He looked back to see what had happened, but there was nothing there. A huge clump of snow had fallen from the branches of a fir tree. Silky white threads of snow were still floating down between the branches.
A little while later the little fox returned to their hole.
"Ma, my hands are cold. They've gone all num num" he said, placing his wet paws that were now bright pink in front of his mother. Mother fox took them and blew on them, wrapping them gently in her own warm paws.
"They'll be warm soon enough. Once you touch the snow they start to warm up," she said, but she hated the idea of her baby getting frostbite and decided that when evening came, she would go to town and buy some mittens to fit her little boy's hands.
The dark, dark night arrived, wrapping up the woods and the fields with its shadow like a sheet, but no matter how hard it tried, it couldn't smother the snow's brilliant white light rising up from the ground.
The two silver foxes emerged from their hole. The little fox walked beneath his mother's stomach, busily looking this way and that, his big round eyes wide with excitement.
After they'd walked for a while, a single bright light appeared up ahead. When the little fox saw that, he said,
"Ma, that star has fallen down."
"That's not a star," replied his mother, and suddenly her legs froze to the spot.
"That is the light from the town."
Seeing the light had reminded her of the terrible experience she had the last time she went to town with her friend. Despite her pleas to stop, her friend tried to steal a duck from a farmhouse, and when they were sprung by the farmer they both had to run for their lives, only barely managing to escape.
"Ma, what are you doing? Come on, let's go," said the little fox from under his mother's tummy, but her leg's refused to take her any further. As there was nothing she could do, she had to ask the little one to go into town on his own.
"Sweetie, give me one of your paws," she said to the little fox. As she held her son's paw in her own, it suddenly turned into a tiny human hand. He stretched out the fingers, made a fist, pinched it, and then put it up to his nose to smell it.
"Ma, this is weird, what is it?" asked the little fox as he stared with wonder at this strange-looking paw.
"That's a human hand. Now listen carefully honey. When you get to the town you'll see a lot of human houses. Make sure to look for the one with a picture of a top hat on the sign out front. After you find that, knock on the door, and then call out, 'Good evening!' After you do that, a human will come and open the door just a wee bit, then you take this hand, see, this human hand here, and put it through the doorway, and you say 'Can I please have some mittens to fit snug on my hands?' Do you understand me sweetie? You mustn't show them this hand here," warned the little fox's mother.
"Why not?" asked the little fox.
"If a human realizes that you are a fox, they won't sell you any mittens. Even worse than that, they'll grab you and put you in a cage. Humans are scary."
"Oh."
"Never show them this one, just this one here, see, the human one," stressed his mother as she placed two silver coins in the little fox's human hand.
The little fox tottered slowly across the snow-lit field towards the light of the town. Although there was only one light at first, it soon increased to two and then three, until finally there were ten. As he looked at these lights, the little fox thought to himself that lights were like stars, with reds and yellows and blues. Eventually he arrived in the town, but all the houses along the street had their doors closed, and the only sign of life was from the warm light falling onto the road from the windows high up.
Most of the houses had small electric lamps above their shop signs, so the little fox was able to look at these as he searched for the hat shop. There were signs with pictures of bicycles, seeing glasses, and all kinds of other signs. Some were newly painted, while others were peeling like an old wall, but the little fox didn't know what any of them meant because he had never been into town before.
Finally he came to the hat store. The sign with the large black silk hat his mother had given him directions for, was lit up by a blue electric light.
The little fox knocked on the door just as he had been told.
"Good evening," he called out.
There came the sound of movement inside, and finally the door opened just a couple of inches, a thin ribbon of light stretching out along the white snow-covered road.
Startled by the bright light, the little fox accidentally put the wrong paw in through the gap - the one his mother told him he mustn't show.
"Can I please have some mittens to fit snug on my hands"
Oh, my! thought the hat maker. A fox paw. A fox paw asking for some mittens. I bet he is going to try and buy them with some leaves. So he said,
"Please pay first."
The little fox did as he was asked, handing the hat maker the two silver coins he had been holding. Placing the coins between his thumb and forefinger, the hat maker rubbed the two coins together, and the coins went clink, clink. He then knew that they weren't leaves but real coins, so he took two child-sized mittens from the shelf and placed them in the paw of the little fox. The little fox thanked the hat maker and then headed back in the direction that he had come.
Ma said humans were scary, but they aren't scary at all, he thought. He didn't do anything when he saw my hand.
But the little fox was curious to see what humans were like.
As he passed beneath a window he heard the sound of a human speaking. It was so gentle; so beautiful; such a charming voice.
Go to sleep, go to sleep
On mama's breast
Go to sleep, go to sleep
In mama's arms
The little fox was sure the person singing must be a mother. That's because his own mother sang him songs just like that when she was rocking him to sleep.
Then he heard a small child speak.
"Mummy, when it's cold like tonight, the little fox in the woods will be crying 'I'm cold, I'm cold."
The mother spoke again,
"The little fox in the woods will also be listening to his mummy's singing as he goes off to sleep in his hole. Now it's time for you to go to sleep too. I wonder who will be the first to get to sleep, you or the little fox in the woods? I think it will be you.'
When he heard this, the little fox suddenly wanted to see his mum again, and raced toward where she was waiting for him.
Mother fox had been beside herself with worry, shaking as she waited anxiously for her little one's return, so when he did come back she hugged him tightly in her arms and was so happy she wanted to cry.
The two foxes returned to the woods. Their coats shone silver under the bright moon, their footprints filling with dark-bl
ue shadows.
"Ma, humans aren't scary at all."
"Why is that?"
"I accidentally stuck out my real paw. But the man didn't try and grab me. He just gave me these nice warm mittens," replied the little fox, patting the mittens that were now on his paws together, as he showed them to his mother.
"Really!" gasped his mother, before wondering out loud,
"I wonder if humans really are good. I wonder if they really are."
THE END
About the Authors
Nankichi Niimi was born Shohachi Watanabe in what is now Handa City, Aichi Prefecture, on July 30, 1913, with the year 2013 marking 100 years since his birth. Gon the Fox is studied by every Japanese child in elementary school and it was recently estimated that over 60 million people have read this story, which he wrote at just 18 years of age. Although Niimi went on to write a large number of poems and short stories, such as Buying Mittens, Grandpa's Lamp and When the Thieves Came to Hananoki Village before his death from tuberculosis at age 29, Gon the Fox is undoubtedly the most famous and well-loved of all his works, and perhaps the most famous Japanese children's story of all time.
Kenji Miyazawa is one of Japan’s best known and well-loved writers and poets. He was born in what is now Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, in 1896. Although the eldest son of a wealthy pawnbroker and landowner, Kenji was a deeply spiritual person who led a frugal life, and when he wasn’t writing, volunteered a great deal of his time teaching farmers how to improve their crop yields, or organizing concerts for classical music in his local village. He was a prolific writer who completed hundreds of works, but only a small collection of those were published while he was still alive, his reputation as one of Japan’s greatest storytellers only coming after his death in 1933, aged 37.
About Little J Books
Hi, my name is Paul and I started Little J Books because I personally wanted to be able to read more of these kinds of Japanese stories in English, especially in ebook form. By putting these stories into an ebook format they will be available for anyone to access anywhere in the world, forever. That last word is key, because quite often translators do an incredible job of translating a book into English, but after it gets published and sells out, it's gone. But now with ebooks and publishing on demand (POD) that is changing. So thank you so much for choosing to read this book, and if you would like to get involved somehow please send me an email at mailto:
[email protected].
Other titles by Little J Books
Tales from a Japanese Dreamland: Book 1
Ame-ni-mo Makezu + Kenju's Forest Playground
by Kenji Miyazawa
Ame-ni-mo Makezu
Perhaps the most famous Japanese poem of the modern age, it was written by Kenji while lying on his death bed and was never seen by anyone else until after his death. This significance of this poem has increased greatly for the Japanese people following the Great East Japan Earthquake, with many people using it to reflect on what truly is important in their lives.
Kenju's Forest Playground
Kenju is different from other kids his age, and he gets teased a lot. But Kenju can see things all around that others can't. One day, completely out-of-the-blue, he decides to plant seven hundred cedar trees, and those trees become something that no one ever imagined.
Other titles by Little J Books
Tales from a Japanese Dreamland: Book 2
Gauche the Cellist & Other Stories
by Kenji Miyazawa & Nankichi Niimi
Gauche the Cellist
Gauche is a hopeless musician and he's always being yelled at by the conductor. It's not because he doesn't try, it's just that there is something lacking in his music. With a big concert approaching, Gauche receives some special music lessons from his closest neighbors.
The Nighthawk Star
The nighthawk has a hard time of it. He's got a face like a mud pie, he gets teased by all the other birds and he has to put up with bullies. Hans Christian Andersen was a great inspiration to Kenji and you will recognize something of the Ugly Duckling in this story, but the setting and the finale is classical Kenji, making this story a standout favorite amongst many Japanese readers.
Wild Pear (Yamanashi)
A surreal tale about a family of crabs on the bottom of the river. The amazing descriptions of life under the water will leave you with a truly new perspective on the world. An extremely well-crafted fable, with a profound underlying message.
The Restaurant of Many Orders
This is perhaps the most famous of Kenji's short stories and one of his personal favorites, as it was the title story of his one and only self-published collection of short stories. Two hunters go on a hunting trip in the country and end up completely lost. Luckily they come across what appears to be an extremely popular restaurant…but everything is not as it seems
Buying Mittens by Nankichi Niimi
Mama fox only wants the best for her little one, so when the cold winter arrives and her precious boy needs some mittens, then she knows what she must do. The only problem is that she is afraid and her legs won't take her any further. So her son must go on his own. The highlight of this delightful children's story is the beautiful description of the foxes' journey through the snow covered woods during the middle of the night.
Other titles by Little J Books
Tales from a Japanese Dreamland: Book 3
Buying Mittens
by Nankichi Niimi
Mama fox only wants the best for her little one, so when the cold winter arrives and her precious boy needs some mittens, then she knows what she must do. The only problem is that she is afraid and her legs won't take her any further. So her son must go on his own. The highlight of this delightful children's story is the beautiful description of the foxes' journey through the snow covered woods during the middle of the night.
Other titles by Little J Books
Tales from a Japanese Dreamland: Book 4
Gon the Fox & other stories
By Nankichi Niimi & Kenji Miyazawa
Gon the Fox
Gon is a cheeky fox that loves to play pranks on people, but one day he plays a prank that has unexpected consequences, so he decides to make amends.
Niimi wrote this story when he was only seventeen years of age, and now more than seventy years after his death it remains one of the best known and loved Japanese stories of all time.
The Story of the Giant
All of the town's people are terrified of the giant because he is enormous and he is the son of that horrible old witch. But is it possible that they may have misjudged him?
Grandpa's Lamp
Minosuke was born a poor orphan, but with a little luck and a lot of hard work he manages to carve out a business of his own and starts to rise up in the world. One day a competitor arrives that threatens to take it all away from him. A fascinating insight into the period of transition in Japan, from a country in darkness to one bathed in light.
When the Thieves Came to Hananoki Village
What could be a better hunting ground for a thief than a village where people don't even bother with proper locks? The only trouble is that these thieves have no idea what they are doing, and it is up to the boss to train them. But just when the boss appears to have made a wonderful score, the story takes an unexpected turn.
Ame-ni-mo Makezu
Perhaps the most famous Japanese poem of the modern age, it was written by Kenji while lying on his death bed and was never seen by anyone else until after his death. This significance of this poem has increased greatly for the Japanese people following the Great East Japan Earthquake, with many people using it to reflect on what truly is important in their lives.
Kenju's Forest Playground
Kenju is different from other kids his age, and he gets teased a lot. But Kenju can see things all around that others can't. One day, completely out-of-the-blue, he decides to plant seven hundred cedar trees, and those trees become somethin
g that no one ever imagined.
Other titles by Little J Books
Tales from a Japanese Dreamland: Book 5
10 of the Best Stories from Kenji Miyazawa & Nankichi Niimi
Book 5 contains all titles from Books 1 – 4.
Other titles by Little J Books
Tales from a Japanese Dreamland: Book 6
Night on the Milky Way Railroad
By Kenji Miyazawa
(DUE OUT FOR CHRISTMAS 2013)
Giovanni is having trouble concentrating at school because he has no spare time to play anymore; he has to deliver newspapers in the mornings and help out in the newspaper office in the afternoons. His local village is getting ready to hold the festival of the stars, but seeing all those people enjoying themselves only makes Giovanni so much lonelier. One evening Giovanni finds himself taken on the most amazing adventure he could ever dream of.
This is Kenji's masterpiece and the culmination of a lifetime of study. Kenji takes readers on an unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime journey through our magnificent Milky Way.
Other titles by Little J Books
Tales from a Japanese Dreamland: Book 7
The Restaurant of Many Orders
By Kenji Miyazawa
(DUE OUT JANUARY 2014)
In his lifetime Kenji only ever published two books; one, a collection of poems, and the other, a collection of short stories titled The Restaurant of Many Orders. At that time the Japanese market for fantasy fiction was virtually non-existent and the book was a commercial failure. Fast forward ninety years, and it would be hard to find a Japanese person who doesn’t know of Kenji or the thrilling title story of that book. Book 7 contains every one of the nine stories included in that original edition, along with the introduction and advertising for the book, written by Kenji himself.
Other titles by Little J Books
Tales from a Japanese Dreamland: Book 8
The Fart & other stories by Nankichi Niimi
(DUE OUT MARCH 2014)
Yes it's true, Nankichi Niimi really did write a story called The Fart! The story is as hilarious as it is profound. Niimi provides such a wonderful insight into the way people think and behave, that you are sure to fall in love with this story. Book 8 contains five great stories from Niimi, including those last few works that he penned when he realized that he only had a few more months to live.
Other Titles by Little J Books
Tales from a Japanese Dreamland: Book 9
Magic by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
(DUE OUT MAY 2014)
How much would you pay in order to have the power to create magic? Not sleight of hand magic, but real magic. One man seeks to uncover the secrets, but there is a Zen-like riddle that stands in his way.
Ryunosuke Akutagawa is one of Japan's best known fantasy authors from the modern era, and a champion of the short story.
Other Titles by Little J Books
Tales from a Japanese Dreamland: Book 10
The Handcar & other stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
(DUE OUT MAY 2014)
Ryunosuke Akutagawa is one of Japan's best known fantasy authors from the modern era, and a champion of the short story. This collection of five stories shows a lesser known sensitive side to Akutagawa. In Hina, the protagonist is a young girl trying to come to terms with her parents selling her much-loved possessions while dealing with a mean older brother, while in The Handcar, the protagonist is a young boy excited about the chance of going on a thrilling ride on the newly built railway line. In Snowy, the protagonist is a dog, while in Tobacco and the Devil we meet the devil himself. The sheer diversity and flexibility in Akutagawa's stories is one of the reasons he was so highly regarded.
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